hegemon

Definition of hegemon

: something (such as a political state) having dominant influence or authority over others : one possessing hegemonyThese were the periods in which England and then America filled the role of hegemon …— Robert HeilbronerThe American self-image of a mighty power that is also a benign hegemon, the global custodian of democratic values and human rights, is deeply rooted.— Allister Sparks

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hegemon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.